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October 31, 2014

It’s Friday! Time for my blog feature, Building Character
in which you get to meet characters from a book. Talking to a character outside
of their book is fun! Huge. Amounts. Of fun.
Be sure to click through and enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway at the end of the post!

This week
Strands of Thought plays host to Queen Cataleen from The Outlanders. Great of
you to join us, your majesty. Can you tell our readers a little about yourself,
please?

I am Cataleen, Queen of the Outlands, born of the queen’s
blood and chosen to rule by Luna, former queen of the Outlands. I consider
myself a private person, so be honored I graced you with my presence.

Of course we are honored. There is so much responsibility
in being a queen. As well as a lot of expectation. Is there anything about you
that people are always giving you a hard time about? How do you feel about it?

No one understands the role of a queen. It is my job to
protect and defend my country. If there are a few collateral losses along the
way, I honestly don’t see the problem with it. I am the queen. Because of my
queen’s blood, I have been chosen by the First Ones to rule. I alone make the
choices. I will not sit in judgment from my people or those squabbling “rulers”
of Etherea and Vanguard. They’ve been fighting for centuries. Maybe the time
has come for me to step in and put an end to their miserable existences. Judge
that, everyone. <snicker>

What have you learned about yourself or friend or family
while trying to…you know…rule?

I have learned that friends and family are worthless. As
soon as I became queen, everyone shunned me. It’s fine. I’m a solitary person
and don’t mind being alone. I plan to place a king by my side, one I’ve
selected for a specific purpose, but I don’t even really need him. I don’t need
anyone and never have.

Being independent is a valuable trait in a leader. What
are some of the biggest stumbling blocks you’ve encountered trying to resolve
your conflict?

Thank you for joining us today, your highness. Readers,
read on for more about Queen Cataleen’s story, The Outlanders:

With King Jesper dead and Prince Wilhelm mortally wounded,
Halfling prince, Nash, and the Fulfilment, Layla, assume the throne of Etherea.
They must contend with a new Prophecy Candidate who asserts her position, and
Layla is surprised to find her fate intertwined with this challenger. Facing a
myriad of choices, Nash and Layla’s decisions affect not only their own futures
but that of two kingdoms.

Unbeknownst to the Ethereals or the Vanguards, a slumbering
menace stirs in the south, awakened after centuries of slumber. The mysterious
Outlanders, a force shadowed in mystery, sit poised to tip the balance of
power, sending ripples of fear throughout both warring kingdoms.

Elder Werrick proved a formidable foe, but Layla may yet
meet her match in the monstrous Outlander queen. This mistress of the dark’s
plans, rooted in revenge and ancient lore, now threaten the livelihood of all
three kingdoms.

Racing against time, Layla travels to the Borderlands—home
of the Voltons and Ecclesiastics—to discover as much as she can about the war,
the First Ones, and the prophecy itself. Lives teeter in the balance, kingdoms
sit on the cusp of ruin, and a beast, greater than any she’s ever faced before,
plots a catastrophic attack.

Erin Rhew is an editor, a running coach, and the
author of The Fulfillment Series. Since she picked up Morris the Moose Goes to
School at age four, she has been infatuated with the written word. She went on
to work as a grammar and writing tutor in college and is still teased by her
family and friends for being a member of the "Grammar Police." A
Southern girl by blood and birth, Erin now lives in a rainy pocket of the
Pacific Northwest with the amazingly talented (and totally handsome) writer
Deek Rhew and their “overly fluffy,” patient-as-a-saint writing assistant, a
tabby cat named Trinity. She and Deek enjoy reading aloud to one another,
running, lifting, boxing, eating chocolate, and writing side-by-side.

October 30, 2014

I'm very excited to share with you my newest book release, The Lumpy Duckling - Another Weaver Tale.

Lumpy is the third standalone title in my Weaver Tale series. It's about friendship and expectation, transformation and doubt. Wheezy over thinks things to the point of making them happen. Lumpy is humble, sweet and (thank goodness) persistent. If you have a middle grade reader in your life, I think you'll be happy you shared this book with them.

Lumpy may be
hefty with a misshapen mouth, but he’s funny and the most loyal friend Wheezy
could ask for. When she meets Unwanted, she casts a wish for people to be able
to see her best friend like she does. Her wish nearly kills him.

Kai Strand explores friendship, perception, and the
consequences of wishes in this fast-paced read. –Amazon Customer

This
is a wonderful story of loyalty and friendship. It also shows how one’s fears
and insecurities sometimes sabotage the good things we have in our lives. Like
Wheezy, we have to learn to trust, to accept change, to be patient and
understanding, and to try not to jump to conclusions. The end is most
satisfying, but it’s an exciting, nerve-wracking ride getting there. The Lumpy Duckling is highly recommended
for middle grade readers. –Penelope Anne Cole, award winning author

Eloise popped up from
behind the lab table. A clump of frizzy red hair, an escapee from her pigtails,
rested like a veil over her left eye. She blew at it ineffectively. “Here, Mrs.
Frickles. I guess I was carrying my folder upside down, because my papers fell
out. I’m just retrieving them, ma’am.”

The teacher lifted her gaze
to the ceiling before taking a deep breath. A frequent reaction she saved for
the girl who squatted to the floor again and continued scooping up her papers.
“Very well, Eloise. Make it quick.” Glancing across the room she smiled fondly at
Wendell and checked his name off on the roll sheet.

Not one to allow an
opportunity to make fun of a less popular classmate pass her by, Tosh hissed a
tale at Eloise.

“Sneezy Wheezy—such a
klutz.

The start of class she
is prolonging,

by dropping all her
prized belongings.

She should just sit on
her…butts.”

Eloise, or Wheezy as all
the kids called her, shook her head. “Tosh, stick to horror stories. Rhyme
isn’t your thing.”

“Horror?” Tosh crossed her
arms over her chest and spun on her lab stool presenting her back to Wheezy.

Smiling to herself, Wheezy
stuffed her papers into her folder. Tosh’s usual style of Word Weaving was
actually a pretty standard storytelling voice, nothing close to horror, but
Wheezy couldn’t resist the dig at the girl’s mean personality. With all her
papers collected, Wheezy scrambled onto her own stool at the table next to Tosh
just in time for Mrs. Frickles to start the day’s lesson.

Wheezy’s next class was
history. She gathered her belongings and followed her classmates out the door.

A fresh layer of spring
snow had fallen the night before. The morning warmed enough for it to begin to
melt off, and lavender, purple, yellow, and white crocuses poked holes through
their nighttime blanket to greet the students while they walked through town
from class to class. The town of The Tales was unique in that classes were held
in people’s homes. History expert, Mr. Middy, taught class in the front sitting
room of his house. Wheezy plunked onto a cushy couch next to Harken Herald.

“Hey Hark.” Wheezy yanked
the tie off her left pigtail, recaptured the wayward hank of hair and re-tied
it again.

Hark blinked at her.
“Uneven.”

Wheezy shrugged. “Just so
it stays in this time.”

The couch cushion under
Wheezy puffed with air, launching her sideways into Hark. She giggled and
leveraged herself against his arm so she could push herself back into the
middle of the couch. The burst of air tickled her nose. She sucked in one
breath, two breaths, and finally a sneeze burst from her.

Hark grunted in frustration,
frowning at Poesy before offering a blessing to Wheezy.

“That never gets old,”
Poesy said, smirking at Hark. She set her messenger bag on the floor
unconcerned about the growing puddle of snow melting off her boots. She looked
at Wheezy expectantly.

The second and third
sneezes followed. Wheezy’s sneezes were always divisible by three.

“Bless you. Your pigtails
are uneven.” Poesy reached for the one Wheezy just fixed.

Fluttering her lids to
clear her watery eyes, Wheezy flipped her head to present the other one. “I
have a hank that keeps escaping that one, so they have to be higher.”

“Not. A. Problem.” Poesy
stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth while she worked to even up her
friend’s hairstyle.

Wheezy scowled when Tosh
sauntered through the front door, batting her eyelashes at the class
heartthrob, Edward Telling. The two popular kids didn’t even glance in Wheezy’s
direction. She and her friends were considered a non-issue unless the perfect
opportunity to tease one of them presented itself, like it had in science that
morning.

Poesy glanced to see whom
Wheezy scowled at and quickly looked back at the hair she tied into place, a
blush coloring her cheeks. It bothered Wheezy that Poesy had developed a crush
on Edward; City Word Weaving Champion, youngest to ever receive the title of
Top Tales Debater, the most decorated poet under the age of eighteen, and an
epic ego, appropriately oversized from all the recognition. Poesy with her
spiky black hair and uneven hems didn’t stand a chance against the ‘Toshes’ of
The Tales. And there were plenty of ‘Toshes’ for Edward to choose from.

Besides,
isn’t seventh grade too young to worry about boys? In that way at least. She
always worried about her very closest friend, Lumpy. She and Lawrence Nightingale
had been inseparable since she tripped over him in the sandbox almost nine
years ago. Well, inseparable might be a bit strong, since they couldn’t even go
to school together, Lumpy being a year older than

her and all.

Being
picked on wasn’t the only thing they had in common. Wheezy smiled. They both
liked…um…they preferred…um. Her smile fell away when she stared out the window
picturing herself and Lumpy together.

They had
nothing in common. He liked to watch sports and whittle wood; she liked to
create sand art and find shapes in the clouds. He chowed down steak and pan
fried potatoes, or liverwurst and ketchup sandwiches, while she nibbled pickled
zucchini spears and rye crisps. He spit into a pennywhistle, calling it music,
while she sang like a songbird.

Even their
Word Weaving was different. She weaved reports and updates of current events
while he …um…whatever his weavings were classified as, they made people laugh.
Gnawing the inside of her cheek, she searched for a

commonality in their personalities, hobbies or
interests. A reason they were friends.

An image
of Lumpy, a dirt stained baseball cap slightly askew, round face, red from
laughing, an ever present lumpy grin on his lips which sparked in his bright
blue eyes, formed in her mind, and a smile brightened her face again. It didn’t
matter that they had nothing in common. He was her best friend. That was enough
for her.

***

Again Lumpy is available in hard and soft cover and electronic formats:

October 29, 2014

Today on Three Times A Charm we welcome author, Conda V.
Douglas. I love introducing my readers to the people who work in children’s
publishing.

Great of you to join us, Conda. Can you tell us a little
about yourself, please?

Growing up in the ski resort of Sun Valley, Idaho, my
childhood was filled with authors, artists and other creative types. I grew up
with goats living in the kitchen, buffalo bones in the living room and rocks in
the bathtub (long story). I've traveled the world from Singapore to Russia (in
winter!) and my own tiny office, writing all the while.

Now my life is filled with my cat, dog, permanent boyfriend
and writing.

The rare times I'm not writing, I love to read, teach
exercise classes, bike and swim, hoping to stay in physical and mental shape
for more writing and sometimes succeeding!

Rocks in the bathtub, huh? Interesting. Tell us more
about your books.

In my popular tween fantasy Mall Fairies series the first two in the trilogy are out now: The Mall Fairies: Exile, followed by The Mall Fairies: War, and a cookbook
full of dessert recipes plus fun fairy short stories The Mall Fairies Sweet Tooth Cookbook. The fairy inspiration for my
Mall Fairies came from the sparrows that live in the Boise Towne Square Mall in
Boise, Idaho. When not rescuing fairies from humans, cats and themselves, I
work on the last title in the Mall
Fairies trilogy, The Mall Fairies:
Destiny.

I also delight in writing my Starke Dead creative woman mystery series with jeweler Dora Starke.
The more Dora discovers cursed jewelry, her aunt digging graves, and a rampant
poisoner, the more fun I have—although sometimes Dora complains about her
plight! First up and available now is Starke
Naked Dead, with a necklace worth millions and a stark naked body! Next up,
Starke Raving Dead, in which Dora's
mad Aunt Maddie proves the aptness of her name.

I recommend my book to readers who like: Terry Pratchett's Wintersmith, A Hat Full of Sky, and I Shall
Wear Midnight (all about the same main character, Tiffany Aching, a teenage
wannabe witch).

Sounds like you offer a varied selection of books. Now,
let’s do the three’s. Please share you top three answers to the following
questions so we can get to know you a little better.

·Top 3 skills to hone for people just starting in your
business.

First off, and most important,
learn the basics! Grammar, spelling and manuscript format will insure that your
writing is professional and is easy to learn. After all, it takes a ton of time
and energy to write anything, so why not spend a little bit of effort helping
your manuscript to succeed?

Second, read and read widely. Yes,
we all have those genres we love to read, and if we're writing same, it's great
to read in that genre to learn how to do the form and do it well. But also read
other genres, nonfiction, fiction and everything you can. And don't just read,
read critically, step outside of the reader role and ask: What works with this
piece of writing? What doesn't? How can I apply this insight to my writing?

Last is to learn as much as you can
about the business of publishing. This is easy and difficult at the same time
as the publishing business, once fairly straightforward, is now constantly
changing. But part of being an author is being read and there are a vast number
of sites where you can find all sorts of information about the publishing
business today, in fact sometimes too much info! Don't let that discourage you
from discovering all you can. This can help your writing career be a success.

Thanks for joining us
on this week’s Three Times A Charm, Conda. Best of luck to you and your
writing.

THANKS!

GUESTS WELCOME!
I am always looking for guests for Three Times A Charm. If you are an
author, illustrator or book reviewer, an agent or an editor. If you have
something related to children’s publishing that you’d like people to know
about, feel free to contact me about a future appearance.

October 28, 2014

I'm posting a rare review today for a spirited middle grade book by Beverly Stowe McClure. Beverly is a valued critique partner of mine, but this book made it into the world without me seeing it first. I've been SO excited to read it. Beverly is such an inspiration to me and I love her quiet and kind writing style. She says so much through her characters while you (the reader) grin like a loon—not even aware of the fact that you've learned an important lesson.

My review:

Star of the Team by Beverly Stowe McClure has many of my
favorite middle grade elements. Our main character, Kate, is a perky and
likeable kid, who loves to play basketball. New girl, Emily, joins their team
and her gloating attitude rubs Kate the wrong way. When Kate is injured and
can’t play, she worries that Emily will out score her and earn the Star of the
Team honor.

I enjoyed the genuine dynamics among the kids and with the
adults. Kate works hard to solve her problem—often with humorous results—while also accepting her new place
on the team. She might not like being the assistant's assistant, but she does it to stay involved. But I think what I liked the most was her genuine love of basketball. It seems strange in this
enlightened age we live in that I am saying this, but it’s so nice to see a
book about girls playing sports and taking it seriously.

Star of the Team is a well-written book that models
good behavior in undesired circumstances, and demonstrates how a person can
gain more by redefining their goals.

About the book:

A girl.

A dream.

An accident.

A dream shattered.

Eleven-year-old Kate Taylor
dreams of being the star of her basketball team, Angels. When Kate’s tooth is
knocked out at one of the games and her mother, who is also her coach, says she
can’t play until the tooth the dentist replants heals, Kate’s dreams are in
jeopardy. Add Emily, the new girl at school who claims she’s the best, and Kate
faces a challenge to prove that she is the star.

Most
of the time, you’ll find Beverly in front of her computer, writing the stories
little voices whisper in her ear. When she’s not writing, she takes long walks
and snaps pictures of clouds, wild flowers, birds and deer. To some of her
friends, she is affectionately known as the “Bug Lady” because she rescues
butterflies, moths, walking sticks, and praying mantis from her cats.

For
twenty-two years Beverly taught children in grades two through five how to read
and write. They taught her patience. Now, she teaches a women’s Sunday school
class at her church. To relax she plays the piano. Her cats don’t appreciate
good music and run and hide when she tickles the ivories.

October 24, 2014

It’s Friday! Time for Building Character in which you get
to meet characters from a book. Talking to a character outside of their book is
fun! Huge. Amounts. Of fun.

This week
Strands of Thought plays host to Meg Flannigan from Perfect For You.
Glad you could join us, Meg. Can you tell our readers a little about yourself?

I’m Meg Flannigan, a
senior at Treemont High. I’m the second best player on the tennis team, and I’m
dating Asher Davidson, the quarterback of the football team.

Nice to meet you, Meg. It sounds like things are going
real well for you. Congrats. A lot of kids your age are all dealing with all
sorts of drama and conflicts. But not you, right?

I sort of have a few actually. I’m still trying to get over
my sophomore-year boyfriend dumping me by kissing another girl in front of my
locker. It sort of screwed me up. But I’m with Ash now, and he’s amazing.
Things would be near perfect if Noah Turner—as in THE Noah Turner, most sought
after guy at Treemont High—didn’t all of a sudden show an interest in me.

Oh, geez. Guess I jumped to conclusions. So now what are
you gonna do?

I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. I know what it feels
like to have your heart stomped on, and I can’t bring myself to hurt Ash or
Noah.

Well, that’s good of you, Meg. But you also have to keep
yourself in mind, too. What have you learned while trying to work through this
problem?

I learned you can’t abandon your friends, because they’re
the people who will pick you up and help you put yourself back together. I also
learned that no one has the power to make you feel like less of a person unless
you let them.

That last one is a super important lesson. Way to go! Tell
us about your best friend. You aren’t in this alone, are you?

Grayson is the type to tell it how it is. She doesn’t
sugarcoat anything, which can be brutal at times, but I know she means well and
she loves me despite my faults.

Let’s learn more about you. What are your three favorite
leisure activities?

Hanging out with Ash, playing tennis with Grayson, and
finding out what else Noah and I have in common.

Meg, it was really great of you to stop in and visit with
us today. Readers, here is more information about Meg’s story, Perfect For
You:

Seventeen-year-old Meg Flannigan isn’t very self-confident,
but what girl would be after her sophomore-year boyfriend dumped her by
making out with another girl in front of her locker?

Now a senior, Meg catches the eye of not one, but two
gorgeous guys at school. Sounds good, right? What girl wouldn’t want to be in
Meg’s shoes? One cute boy happens to be her boyfriend, and the other? Well, he
wants to be. And Meg? She’s torn between Ash, the boy she’s been with for
nearly five months, and Noah who is pretty irresistible.

But Meg is playing with fire. Pitting two boys against one
another, even if she doesn’t intend to, could end badly if she isn’t careful.
PERFECT FOR YOU is a teen romance from bestselling author Ashelyn Drake, where
one girl will risk everything to find her perfect match.

Ashelyn Drake is a New Adult and Young Adult romance
author. While it’s rare for her not to have either a book in hand or her
fingers flying across a laptop, she also enjoys spending time with her family.
She believes you are never too old to enjoy a good swing set and there’s never
a bad time for some dark chocolate. Ashelyn also writes speculative fiction as
Kelly Hashway. She is represented by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary
Agency.

October 22, 2014

Today on Three Times A Charm we welcome author, Jax
Spenser. I love introducing my readers to the people who work in children’s
publishing.

Great of you to join us, Jax. Can you tell us a little
about yourself, please?

Greetings, Earthlings! Prepare to be conquered! Okay, I’m
kidding… mostly. I’m author Jax Spenser and I’ve been working in the story biz
for quite a while. First as a creator of excuses back when I was a youngin’ and
then most recently as creative exec (an awful term, it’s very close to being an
oxymoron) in Hollywood. I’ve spent years developing my stories and enjoyed
quality time in Southern Florida with a phenomonal group of writers discovering
and honing my craft. Many of those people have moved on to successful careers
as authors and I’m proud to be associated with them. I absolutely love reading
but feel I must be one of the worst readers on the planet, not for any
illiteracy reason, but because I have the focus of a sand gnat (which, I
pronounce gah-nat) at high tide. My reads of choice: scifi, horror, and any
good YA read I’ll endeavor to apply my gah-nat attention. I also love working
with kids as a track coach, hurdles being my speciality. Coaching is time
well-spent as it always has some incredible life lesson for not only the kids,
but myself—“finish strong!” and “don’t forget to breath!” You know what I’m
saying? Anywho, I’m so excited that my stories are finally invading readers
everywhere. Please check out my blog and subscribe to my newsletter at www.jaxspenser.com/subscribe for
updates and scoops!

Tell us more about your book.

I friggin’ love this world that’s being created in The HIDE
Series (Something Else Publishing)! HIDE is about a sixteen year old boy,
Keegan Roe, who barely escapes with his father from an assualt by his abusive
mother and that escape somehow transports them to the very creepy town of
Sedonia Falls, Arizona. Keegan appears to do a 180 as everything changes in his
world; he goes from zero to hero in a matter of days. One day he’s in the lower
depths as a social outcast and the next he’s feeling altitude sickness because
of his new status along side the most popular girl in school. But all the while
Keegan becomes more aware that something terrible lies beneath the perfect life
he’s now taken on. A ray of hope arrives in the form of the very cute Lizzy
Bruce, who not only befriends Keegan, but turns out to be the key to his
survival, and possibly the planet’s.

Hopefully, it’s obvious to the those paying attention to the
cover art that this story, yes, it has humble beginnings but soon it’s
escalating to global (planet-sized fun) adventure as the story progresses. I
envisioned this as a multi-part series that takes the reader on an epic journey
as Keegan begins to realize his true potential.

Help our readers out. What books are most like yours?

Great, love this stuff… only can I do authors? HIDE is the
test tube love child of Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, and Patrick Ness. If we
could actually combine their literary DNA in a laboratory, that is.

Okay, Jax – now it’s time for the three’s. Please share
you top three answers to the following questions so we can get to know you a
little better.

Top 3
books you recommend reading and why you recommend them.

1)The War of Art is necessary for any person looking to raise
themselves to a professional status no matter what your passion.

2)Salem’s Lot, because it’s the first book that scared the
Battlestar Galactica footsy pajamas off of me. It’s a genuine scare no matter
what your age.

3)And Acting, The First Six Lessons for the reason that it was
the first book that spoke to me not just on the level of acting but on a
philosophical level, opening my eyes to a world view of how my art can feed my
life and vice versa.

Top 3
skills to hone for people just starting in your business.

1)Know your story.
I’ve learned from experience that it’s not good enough to just start writing.
Backstory, hard work, and praying to the gods of Planning are the keys to fully
realized plots and characters. I’ve learned numerous lessons on this topic.

2)Learn how to tell your
story. Practice, critique, make MISTAKES, revision, and more practice are
the only things that make you a better writer.

3)Tell your story to
someone. It’s not a story, if you’re not trying to get it out to an
audience to read—seriously, if you’re keeping it in a drawer, isn’t it just a
journal entry?

Top 3
leisure activities.

1)Watch
film or TV serials. I am a multi-medium writer (that includes writing specs for
TV and film) and since we now live in the world of full seasons of You-Name-It
on Apple TV, On Demand pay channels, Amazon Instant Video, ITunes Store, etc.
where the full monty can be ingested in a matter of days and weeks, I’m in
Heaven. Yes, I might be a content addict.

2)Reading.
Say no more. Except this: it appears this activity occurs only at night when
I’m least awake and mentally aware. Example, I may have read the first page of
Game of Thrones about 207 times because of dozing off.

3)Writing.
It’s a bit like comfort food for me: it doesn’t mean that what I’m writing has
literary merit, it just means it makes me feel good.

Thanks for joining us
on this week’s Three Times A Charm, Jax! Best of luck to you and and your
writing.

THANKS!

GUESTS WELCOME!
I am always looking for guests for Three Times A Charm. If you are an
author, illustrator or book reviewer, an agent or an editor. If you have
something related to children’s publishing that you’d like people to know
about, feel free to contact me about a future appearance.

October 17, 2014

It’s Friday! Time for Building Character in which you get
to meet characters from a book. Talking to a character outside of their book is
fun! Huge. Amounts. Of fun.

This week Strands of
Thought plays host to Rosa from Sons of the Sphinx. Glad you could make it
today, Rosa. Can you tell our readers a little about yourself, please?

Hi! I’m Rosa. I’m 15 years old and a sophomore
in high school. I’m your typical teenager—well,
almost. I don’t have many friends anymore, but it’s
hard to blame the other kids. If I was them, I’d probably steer clear of me
too, at least most of the time. No one is ever mean to me; I’ve
grown up with most of them, and on my bad days, they try to ignore me. Wish I
could do the same to those who talk to me. Mostly I just shake my head and
carry on.

Well that sounds sort of sad, Rosa, but I admit, I’m
really curious about why you’re on the outskirts. What kind
of conflict are you up against?

OMG. That is a loaded question. I mean, I’m 15.
Conflicts are part of my daily life! Passing my classes. Trying to get a date
for school dances. Dealing with Nana’s gift nearly every day while
I try not to lose my mind.

Oh, I bet you’re talking about in the story.
Right, I should have known that. Well, without giving too much away, my ability
to hear dead people talk pits me against an evil man, introduces me to the most
handsome boy I’ve ever seen, and puts my life in danger. Sounds
great doesn’t it? Nope. Not at all.

Oh, wow! Hearing dead people does not sound fun at all. The
cute guy does, though. So tell us more about you. What’s
your strongest personality trait?

That would have to be my sarcastic humor. When you have a gift
like mine, you need something to fall back on. Here are a few instances of it:

“It would be something to tell my, my…Right,
I could tell the kids in my classes that I went to ancient Egypt with the ghost
of King Tut. Can you hear the death knell? Bring out the strait jacket.”

“Most girls I know have had at least one boyfriend
and have even gone on dates, even it is was with a group of kids. Me, the last
time I held hands with a boy was in the fourth grade. We went on a trip to the
zoo, and I had to hold hands with red-headed Erik as the we crossed the road…How
sad it that?”

“In front of me is desert, sand, open sky, and heat
for as far as I can see. Already sweat is starting to run down my face and
neck. I thought gym class was bad. I’m not even moving here, and it’s
as if a river is coursing through me. I sweat more standing still in this
country than I ever did playing basketball.”

Ha! I guess I should have guessed that, but I love the extra
examples. If you could change one thing in this world, what would you change?

I would make it so my Nana was still alive. I know that sounds
self-centered, but she left me with her gift and didn’t give me
any advice. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do with it. It
scares me, really scares me sometimes. I often wonder if she was ever scared.
Now that I’ve been through this experience, I long to talk with
her about it—to see if there is a way to go out and do good with
it, not just wait around and see what happens.

Aw, I wish I could help. That isn’t
exactly something you can Google, huh? Thanks for visiting with us today, Rosa.
Readers, here is more about Rosa’s story, Sons of the
Sphinx (which just won the 2014 Literary Classis Silver Medal in the
Pre-Teen/Tween category.)

Two souls
separated by three millennium. One with a gift that is more like a curse; one
on an almost impossible quest

Destinies
entwined; one seeks to find herself while the other seeks his lost queen. To
succeed, the pair must right the injustices 3,000 years in the past.

Only together can
they fulfill The Prophecy, but in the process they must defeat the Pharaoh
Horemheb.

Dishonor and death are the fate of the defeated.

Armed with what she
considers her grandmother’s curse, 15-year-old
Rosa agrees to help the ghost of King Tut find his lost queen Hesena. Though
Hesena’s ba inhabits part of Rosa, finding the
whole spirit of Hesena so that she and Tut can be together for the first time
in over 3300 years proves to be a harder task than Rosa first thinks. Thrust
back into Ancient Egypt with Tut, Rosa discovers that finding Hesena is not all
she must do. She must also keep out of the reach of the living Horemheb - who
crosses mortal boundaries using Seth’s evil magic - if she
is to stay alive to make it back home.

Cheryl Carpinello is a retired high school English teacher
with a love for the ancient and medieval worlds. She has traveled through both,
and she hopes to inspire young people to read more through her ancient and
medieval tales.

October 16, 2014

Today, thanks to Pump Up Your Book tours, we get a sneak peek at ESCAPE THROUGH THE WILDERNESS by Gary Rodrigiuez. Title: Escape Through the WildernessAuthor: Gary RodriguezGenre: Tween/Young Adult Christian AdventurePaperback: 256 pagesPublisher: Tate Publishing (June 2014)ISBN-13: 978-1-63268-201-7Purchase at: https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781632682017 and at http://www.amazon.com/Escape-Through-Wilderness-Gary-Rodriguez/dp/163268201X/About the book:
Sixteen-year-old Savannah Evans walks with a slight limp thanks to a gymnastics’ accident that dashed her Olympic dreams, but didn’t stop her from attending an adventure camp in Idaho. At Camp Arrowhead, she quickly befriends Jade Chang and Rico Cruz, but Conner Swift taunts Savi because of her injury.
When the four are teamed together for an overnight white-water river rafting adventure, Savi refuses to get in the same raft with Conner. Unfortunately, the director will not reassign her.
A fun expedition down the river turns into a nightmare when their raft slams into a huge rock and their adult guide disappears down the river.
Without their guide and desperately trying to steer an out-of-control raft, they pass the “Last Chance” marker and enter the larger rapids. With Jade pinned between the raft and a rock, and Rico clinging to a lifeline, Savi must cut the raft free.
When the four drag themselves out of the river, they’re bruised, beaten, lost, and twenty-five miles from camp. Because of late-night campfire tales of Vexel, a vicious animal that roams the nearby woods, Savi and the others are terrified.
Savi becomes the unlikely leader who tries to guide the group back to Camp Arrowhead. Limited supplies, injuries, and the constant threat of Vexel—who Savi fears is stalking them, complicate the harrowing return trip.
Readers will enjoy dramatic survival scenes and the group working together, solving problems, and learning to overcome adversity.

Book excerpt:

The river turned slightly to the right and then they saw the nightmare ahead. The turbulence was like nothing they had seen before. The water appeared completely white and rushed forward at a furious pace, breaking over and against rocks on both sides. The only way through was a narrow slot between the rocks, which they needed to hit just right, to make it through safely.
“Watch for rocks,” Doug warned with a shout. “And hold on!”
As they shot through the tight gap between the rocks, water rose above the raft on both sides. They flew through the first surge and then saw the river bend slightly left between a new set of obstacles.
“Paddle left!” Doug yelled over the thunderous roar.
“Hard left!” he shouted again.
“Rock!” Savi screamed.
Water drenched them from every direction. Conner removed his right hand from the paddle for a second to wipe off his glasses.
“Rocks left!” Savi shouted.

\Gary Rodriguez is president of LeaderMetrix Inc., a consulting company that specializes in senior-level executive coaching, organizational development and conflict resolution. He is the author of the new adventure novel Escape through the Wilderness scheduled for release in June 2014.His first book Purpose-Centered Public Speaking was an instant hit and recently republished by Tate Publishing.His extensive resume includes eighteen years as an executive in the radio business where he spent several years as one of the original managers of Infinity Broadcasting. He was twice nominated as medium market manager of the year by the Bobby Poe report, a national media publication.For over thirty-five years, Gary has spoken in public both nationally and internationally. Gary’s resume includes a season in the U.S. Army where he was highly decorated as the youngest Drill Instructor in the Army's history at age 18 years. He was also awarded the Silver Star (the nation's third highest award for valor) while serving in Viet Nam.Visit the book’s website at http://ettw.tateauthor.com/ You can also find Gary at http://leadermetrix.com/ and http://www.leadermetrix.com/authorspeaker.

October 15, 2014

Today on Three Times A Charm we welcome author, Michael
Thal. I love introducing my readers to the people who work in children’s
publishing.

So nice to have you join us, Michael. Can you tell us a
little about yourself, please?

I’m the author of
four published novels—Goodbye Tchaikovsky,
The Abduction of Joshua Bloom, and
The Koolura Series—The Legend of Koolura and Koolura and the Mystery at Camp Saddleback.
Since 2009 I have been a columnist for the Los Angeles Examiner writing articles about parenting and
education.

Moving from the
frigid Northeast to comfy Southern California in 1973, I taught elementary and
middle school for 28 years until a freak virus left me deafened at the age of
50. I reinvented myself as a writer composing over 80 published articles in
print magazines as well as novels for middle grade and high school aged
students.

You can learn more
about me on my website at www.michaelthal.com. My books can be purchased on Amazon.com and
Barnes & Noble in print and as e-books.

Tell us more about your books.

Goodbye Tchaikovskyis about a
violin virtuoso being plunged into a deaf world, necessitating him to adapt to
a new culture and language in order to survive.

The Abduction of Joshua Bloomtells the story of a teen and his
alien abductors who justify their act in an attempt to save their people.
Joshua finds himself in a world dominated by women, and men are subjugated to
their whims. He travels to a dinosaur world, visits a water planet, and a world
doomed by a star about to nova.

The Legend of
Kooluratells the story of a sixth grade girl and how she
obtained the cool powers. She has the ability to dematerialize at
will and reappear where she chooses. She can move objects with her mind and she
can even defy gravity!

In Koolura and
the Mystery at Camp Saddleback Koolura is back in her second adventure.
Koolura has the ability to teleport, levitate, heal, and even fly. But
at Camp Saddleback Koolura wakes up drained and powerless. Who or what has
stolen her psychic powers?

Okay – now it’s time for the three’s. Please share you top
three answers to the following questions so we can get to know you a little
better.

Three top books/author recommendation:

One of my favorite writers is Anne Louder McGee. She’s one
of the many Indie authors who get lost in the forest known as Amazon. I’d like
to share three of her wonderful YA novels.

Anni’s Attic- Anne
McGee’s historical novel, Anni’s Attic,
provides a heart-wrenching look at the atrocities of the Civil War and its
affects on the lives of the people living in the Savannah countryside. The YA
book is a marvelous character study of Anni and Jenn. During the course of the
war the cousins encounter spies, racial hatred, the Underground Railroad, and Sherman's
March to the Sea. In the confines of a secret attic in White Magnolias, the
cousins begin to depend on each other, and in so doing learn what love and
respect truly means.

The Mystery at Marlatt
Manor: Anne Loader McGee brings us this fast paced middle school novel
about teen sleuth Mallory who uncovers a mystery around a missing girl and the
weird people that seem to be hunting for a possible lost treasure. Mallory’s
grandmother, Aggie, may lose her beloved home and Mallory has strange dreams that
may be the key to solving everyone’s problems, including the manor’s mystery.

Mystery of the Missing Ming: Mallory Gilmartin is back again in
this new mystery. With her signature crisp sentences and humorous dialogue,
McGee keeps readers engaged in a fun-filled adventure that unfolds during the
1970s in Cedar Creek, Virginia. The cast of characters include Aggie Hobbs,
Mallory’s 60 something grandma, who expects her grandchildren to call her
Aggie, OR ELSE! Sidekick, Kyle, reluctantly gets involved in Mallory and
Aggie’s schemes that too often get him into trouble with his dad and or the
law. Added to the mix is Mallory’s gift of communicating with the dearly
departed. McGee swirls this around with
her magical wand creating thoroughly enchanting novels that readers won’t be
able to put down.

Three pieces of advice for kids these days:

1.Make
education your top priority. In the 21st Century you’re not just
competing with kids in your city, state, or country. Competition is on a global
scale, so prepare yourself with skills to make yourself marketable.

2.Put
your family before your friends. Friends come and go, but your family will
always be there. Nurture that relationship as if your life depended on it, for
some day it just might.

3.Push
yourself to exercise every day. The best health insurance policy you can buy
isn’t Obama Care, it’s gym membership. Work out at least 4 days a week
vigorously making it a lifelong habit. If you do, when you reach old age, you
won’t look it, inside and out.

Three professions you wanted to be when you grew up:

As a child I wanted to be a doctor. Once in college, I
thought of becoming a diplomat, but after a few summers as a camp counselor, I
decided to become a teacher. Now here is why your education is so important.
Let’s say you want to become a professional basketball player, and you’re
really good. Now let’s say a player on the court runs into you forcing you to
fall and break a leg. You are soon told you’ll never play probasketball again.
Your education is what you can fall back on.

After 28 years of teaching I suffered from a severe hearing
loss caused by a virus. I couldn’t understand a word my students said to me. My
ENT specialist suggested I take disability, which I did. My education helped me
retrain myself to become a successful writer. In my youth I had prepared myself
for that “broken leg.” You should do the same.

Thanks for introducing us to another Indie author. Finally, where can our tech
savvy readers find you online?

Thanks for joining us
on this week’s Three Times A Charm, Michael! Best of luck to you and and your
writing.

THANKS!

GUESTS WELCOME! I
am always looking for guests for Three Times A Charm. If you are an author,
illustrator or book reviewer, an agent or an editor. If you have something
related to children’s publishing that you’d like people to know about, feel
free to contact me about a future appearance.

October 10, 2014

It’s Friday! Time for Building Character in which you get
to meet characters from a book. Talking to a character outside of their book is
fun! Huge. Amounts. Of fun.

This week
Strands of Thought plays host to Cara and Logan from Into the Fire. Hey guys!
Glad you could join us. Tell our readers a little about yourselves.

Hi, I’m Cara Tillman. I’m
not supposed to talk to anyone about being a phoenix but Ashelyn says you guys
are cool so I guess it’s okay. Anyway, I’m about to be reborn for the very
first time and after having a front row seat to my little brother’s rebirth,
you could say I’m a little terrified.

Hey, Logan Schmidt here.
Um, what can I say? I moved to Ashlan Falls from New York City, so yeah...life
pretty much sucks. Everyone in this backwoods town knows everyone else, and I’m
the outsider. The only plus is meeting Cara. She’s...different, and I like
that.

Books always have a main conflict. What are you guys up
against in Into the Fire?

Cara: I have
exactly one month before I’m going to die and be reborn from my own ashes. When
that happens, I’ll forget everyone I love. I won’t remember this life at all.
Just that I’m a phoenix and that there are hunters who want me dead.

Logan: I’m trying
to deal with moving to a new town where I know no one. Doesn’t sound like a big
deal, but I’m kind of going through hell at home. My mom died and all I have
left of her is the leather jacket I wear. And my dad is a total—let’s just say
we avoid each other at all costs.

Logan, I’m so sorry about your mom. And Cara – wow, forget
everyone? That’s rough. What are some of the biggest stumbling blocks you’ve
encountered trying to resolve your troubles?

Cara: Meeting
Logan. He showed up at the worst possible time. I’m supposed to be laying low
and helping my brother, Jeremy, relearn who his friends are. The last thing I
should be doing is imprinting on the new guy in town, the guy no one knows
anything about. It’s too dangerous. We live in fear of hunters every day.
Killing a phoenix means the hunter gets to live longer. We are their “fountain
of youth.” Of course it’s out of my hands now. The imprint is too strong to
fight.

Logan: Meeting
Cara. I should have gotten on a bus and gone back to New York the second Dad
left me stranded in the smallest town on earth. I would have to, but then I ran
into her. I swear it wasn’t just her tiny bikini that did me in. Sure, that got
my attention real quick, but Cara’s a mystery. She’s not like anyone I’ve ever
met, and I can’t help but want to be near her. Even if she does have this crazy
way of making me open up and talk about my mom. I can’t explain what she’s
doing to me.

Certainly you are facing these issues alone. Gosh, I hope
not. Do you have a best friend? Tell us about your him or her.

Cara: Rachel is
the best. There’s nothing she wouldn’t do for me, and I love her for it. That’s
why it’s so hard to keep my secret. How am I supposed to handle knowing that I
won’t remember Rachel in a month? How can I fake a friendship that’s so strong
we’re almost like sisters? Of course when she hits on my little brother in
front of me, it’s a big reminder that we aren’t actually related.

Logan: What can I
say about Anton? He’s got the life back in New York. Different girl every night
and practically lives on his own because his dad is busy working and shacking
up with whoever the woman of the week is. Don’t get me wrong, though. Anton
always has my back. He’s a great friend, and if I do decide to run back to New
York, he’d take me in without question.

Is there anything about you that people are always giving
you a hard time about? How do you feel about it?

Cara: Being a
phoenix means I smell like cinnamon. All. The. Time. I pretend to chew cinnamon
gum and Mom fills the house with cinnamon potpourri. My friends don’t question
it, but I have to be careful whenever someone new comes into town.

Logan: People
think it’s weird that I wear a leather jacket in June. I get it. It’s not
exactly normal, but they don’t understand. It’s all I have left of my mom.

Cara, have you ever tried to douse yourself in perfume to
mask the scent? Do they still make Jean Nate? That stuff will cover anything!

Tell, me guys, what are your three favorite leisure activities?

Cara: Swimming at
the falls, hanging with Rachel, and... A few days ago I would have said hanging
out with my brother, Jeremy, but since his rebirth things haven’t been the
same. These days getting to know Logan is pretty high up on my list.

Logan: Running
and being with Cara. Sorry, can’t name a third activity. If you’ve ever been to
Ashlan Falls, you’d understand. There’s nothing to do here. Wait, does eating
at Monique’s café count as an activity? The woman makes a mean omelet.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Cara: I don’t
really know what I want to be, but since I’ll have five lives, I have some time
to think about it. Unless I meet up with a hunter, but I guess I wouldn’t have
to worry about a future at all then.

Logan: Who the
hell knows? I can tell you what I don’t want to be though, and that’s a lawyer
like my dad. I want to be the furthest thing from what he is.

So glad you two were able to stop in and visit today. I’m
pretty curious to find out how it turns out for you both. Readers, here is more
info on Cara and Logan’s story, Into the Fire.

Seventeen-year-old Cara Tillman’s life is a perfectly normal
one until Logan Schmidt moves to Ashlan Falls. Cara is inexplicably drawn to
him, but she’s not exactly complaining. Logan’s like no boy she’s ever met, and
he brings out a side of Cara that she isn’t used to. As the two get closer,
everything is nearly perfect, and Cara looks forward to the future.

But Cara isn’t a normal girl. She’s a member of a small
group of people descended from the mythical phoenix bird, and her time is
running out. Rebirth is nearing, which means she’ll forget her life up to this
point—she’ll forget Logan and everything they mean to one another. But that may
be the least of Cara’s problems.

A phoenix hunter is on the loose, and he’s determined to put
an end to the lives of people like Cara and her family, once and for all.

Ashelyn Drake is a New Adult and Young Adult romance
author. While it’s rare for her not to have either a book in hand or her
fingers flying across a laptop, she also enjoys spending time with her family.
She believes you are never too old to enjoy a good swing set and there’s never
a bad time for some dark chocolate. Ashelyn also writes speculative fiction as
Kelly Hashway. She is represented by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary
Agency.

Here's the Scoop on

Hi! I'm Kai (pronounced like the letter K.) I write Epic award winning fiction for kids and teens. I can say that because I won an award from EPIC for The Weaver! I'm the mother of four, which makes me a bit of an expert in the writing for kids arena. I love singing, gardening, walking, pizza and Mozart. Please check out my books and short stories on my website and contact me with any questions you have. Thanks for reading.